The present invention relates to a device for limiting the field of fire in elevation on an automatic firearm having an electrical trigger and a switch for disconnecting the electrical trigger as soon as the firearm exceeds a given angle of elevation.
In a known device of this type (see U.S. Pat. No. 2,483,385) the electrical trigger is disconnected if the firearm exceeds either a given azimuth angle or a given angle of elevation.
In another known device of this type (See U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,225), on the one hand an electrically, and, on the other, a manually operated trigger is disconnected if the firearm exceeds either a given azimuth angle or a given angle of elevation.
These known devices are primarily useful when the respective allowable angle of elevation depends on the azimuth angle, and vice versa. This is the case if a firearm is near to houses which must not be fired on, or if the field of fire on an aircraft-mounted gun must be restricted so that parts of the aircraft on which the weapon is mounted cannot be hit.
If it is only necessary to limit the field of fire in elevation, independent of the azimuth angle, the device can be made substantially simpler in design. In particular the device may be simplified greatly if firing is not to be possible at maximum elevation. This device is intended to be especially suited to weapons that can be fired independently of each other both via a manual and via an electrical trigger. Such a weapon exhibits, for example, a reciprocating breechblock held in its rearmost position by a pawl against the force of a recuperator spring. This breechblock has a firing pin which pierces the cartridge when the breechblock travels forward. This weapon is also provided with a firing pin or lock means. This firing pin lock possesses an arresting or catch element which in its arresting or catch position projects into the path of the breechblock and is driven home i.e. placed in its catch position by a locking element, to arrest the breechblock just before its firing position. In addition there is disposed a second arresting or catch element which is driven home by said locking element and which when driven home is moved into the path of the breechblock against the force of a first spring. This firing pin lock is described at length in Swiss Pat. No. 556,524 and the cognate U.S. Pat. No. 3,821,920 and will therefore not be discussed in more detail here.
The problem to be solved by the present invention consists in creating a device for limiting the field of fire which prevents the weapon being fired not only by the electrical trigger but also by the mechanical trigger. This problem is solved in accordance with the invention by the fact that a lock means or firing pin lock can be actuated when the given angle of elevation is exceeded.